We hear today that a plot to launch a rocket attack at the super-secret Saddam trial location was foiled. The attack was reportedly going to be carried out Monday as the courtroom drama resumes. The perps were all Sunnis.
The last time Saddam was in the secret courtroom he said something interesting, at least to me:
Once inside, Saddam had a brief but heated exchange with the chief judge, complaining that he had to walk up four flights of stairs in shackles and carrying a copy of the Muslim holy book Quran because the elevator wasn't working.
Was Saddam providing the planners with an aiming point? Perhaps they knew where the trial facility was, but were unsure as to the correct floor.
Now, presumably the attack would have occurred before Saddam's entrance, otherwise this theory goes down the toilet faster than Charmin.
UPDATE 12/5
Saddam brought his soap opera back to court today, a facility that was lucky to still be intact after the mortar plan was thwarted. Above we see him waving the Qu'ran while looking every bit like a total lunatic. I hope Muslims around the world are horrified by such an image. As a Christian I would certainly be angered if I saw Stalin or Hitler waving a Bible at a trial.
Saddam obviously still believes he has power, as he made this remark when a witness name Mohammed began to speak, "Rest assured I will not touch you.". Is he delusional, or is there any truth behind his veiled threat? Remember, his right hand man Al-Douri was put in charge of the insurgency early on, and remains to be accounted for (even after death).
Mohammed did indeed speak, as did others. Funny--their stories sound vaguely similar to the stories defectors told all along-- the same stuff the left claimed was nothing but false propaganda manufactured by Chalabi and Curveball.
Wonder if our man Ramsey Clark will pick up that ball when the judge next allows him to speak, blaming Chalabi for manufacturing witnesses? After being initally gagged by the judge today he participated in a temper tantrum walk-out, after which the judge reversed and allowed Clark to speak.
He didn't waste any time, heading right for the grandstand and blubbering about healing and dividing. The judge quickly told him in Arabic, and I have this on good authority, to stuff a cork in it, since he was only allowed to address the security of the legal team. "But your honor, I have important sound bites to generate...."
Of course Saddam occupied the highest grandstanding platform--after all, it's his show. During one of the trademark outbursts we've come to expect he yelled, "Long live Iraq, long live the Arab state". I suppose he'll never give up as long as his legacy remains in limbo.
MORE 12/5
Speaking of a legacy....
Another Sunni, Mohammed Omar, a 35-year-old unemployed father of two, accused the government of being more concerned with convicting Saddam than with fixing the problems Iraqis face every day _ violence, shattered infrastructure, unemployment.
"Maybe Saddam did oppress those who opposed him," Omar said. "But for every Iraqi, deep inside, he looks like the strongman we need."
A 49 year old Sunni housewife said something similar,
Watching the Saddam Hussein trial at home on television, Jinan Mushrif said she got chills of pride Monday when she saw the ousted leader and a co-defendant chant, "Long live Iraq, long live the Arab state." "These are the real men of Iraq, not those who hide behind their bodyguards,"
Although this sample is biased and the story came from the AP, if the majority of Sunnis actually feel this way, it ain't good. Appealing to his own people is certainly one strategy, but I can imagine a two-pronged strategy. Have the supporters continue to lay as many IEDs and suicide bombs as possible while the lawyers do everything in their power to delay the trial. Meanwhile Saddam grandstands at every opportunity as a way to project strength and appeal to Iraqi nationalism.
Why delay the trial? Other than obvious reasons, perhaps he feels he can outlast our resolve. Surely Ramsey Clark has briefed the team about what's going on with Murtha and the democrats' caterwauling for an immediate withdrawal. Perhaps Saddam feels if they can drag out the process until mid 2006 and the Congressional campaign season, they might have a chance. It's a sad reality that by mid 2006 several hundred more GIs might have been lost, something we're sure to see in all the dem campaign ads (and probably some republican ads, too). A Murtha-like withdrawal before the Iraqi army and security forces are ready to go, and before Saddam's trial is completed can only help his chances.
SOAP OPERA REPORT 12/7
Nobdoy should have been surprised when the king of the grandstands failed to show for today's 'trial'.
Here's a rather charming quote from Saddam's half brother, former Mukhabarat leader Barzan:
Saddam's half-brother Barzan, a former intelligence chief, complained of his own treatment in jail on Wednesday. He said he had been denied tea and coffee for a year, lost 40 pounds in weight -- and offered only inferior brand cigarettes.
Mr. Barzan displays the callous arrogance of a thug.
Now, anyone who thinks they are going to get a conviction on this initial charge after what we've seen so far, please raise your hand. More than likely we'll see additional charges pressed, which will further delay the trial and allow Ramsey Clark to call Rumsfeld and others to testify. Talk about a media circus. But I wonder, would they appear?
FINAL THOUGHTS 12/8 (before the circus begins again in two weeks)
Saddam comes to court everyday (well almost everyday) wearing a sport coat and shirt with no tie, which I understand is not an Iraqi custom. Saddam is also adorned with a beard, which he frowned upon during his regime. Beards are supposedly fundie-wear.
All the others charged are wearing traditional Arab head garb. Hard to know whether this is the result of fun and games by Saddam's guards (depriving him of what he wants) or some kind of strategy. I'd vote for the latter.
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